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"For now we are young let us lay in the sun and count every beautiful thing we can see" Neutral Milk Hotel.

Sunday, 1 June 2014

Galls and Rusts at Ringstead

A sunny, hot, calm day - just right for a butterfly transect walk at Ringstead Downs. Although there were a number of butterflies flitting around there was nothing special to report, although I was able to record my first Brimstone for the transect for 2014.
In the valley bottom I came across (or rather it came across me) a very large, very noisy hornet. Unfortunately it wouldn't pose for a photo and when it did land it immediately crawled under dry leaves out of sight.
I found a number of specimens of Ground-ivy Gall. This is caused by the gall wasp Liposthenus latriellei. I also found some orange rust fungus growing on Common Nettle and also on Salad Burnet.